The Mastersingers at Covent Garden

[verismissimo]

I'm off to see/hear it at Symphony Hall in Brum on Wednesday. Let's hope they all bring their voices with them.

[Prommer]

I was at the ROH last night - a much improved performance compared with the dress rehearsal which I caught. Alas, Emma Bell was the ill one this time, and her role was sung (very well) from the wings by Barbara Haveman, who was flown in from Vienna for the task. You won't be having Bryn Terfel anymore in Brum either - he has pulled out due to a chest infection.

Simon O'Neill had upped his game considerably as Walther, though the acting is still his biggest weakness, with try clarion singing and reserves to spare in the prize song. Much less pinched of tone in the upper reaches than he can be, which was all to the good. John Tom and Toby Spence were just wonderful in Act I, for their respective turns. Pappano is really delivering the goods now with this score, the playing was very fine indeed.

[Flosshilde]

Flosshilde
My sloppy prose about directors productions. But, you know what I mean - the directors who know far better than composer and libretto and produce outrageous interpretations serving themselves rather than the composer.

Agreed, there can be some very bad ones - there can also be very good ones. There can also be very trite, dull productions where the director sticks to the letter of the stage directions & text, & where, if the musical performance is good, one would be better off listening with one's eyes shut. Too many productions of that nature are on the level of 'nice music with some pretty pictures' served up for people who don't want to think about what's going on & what it might mean.